PRO FOOTBALL: GIANTS NOTEBOOK

By BILL PENNINGTON

Published: August 22, 1998

Suddenly, the Giants no longer have to defend their decision to use their first-round draft choice to select defensive back Shaun Williams. Instead, they are thankful anew that Williams was around when it was their turn to pick last April.

At the time, Williams, a college safety whose value was always higher because of his potential skills as a cornerback, appeared to be adding depth to what was already a team strength.

But with cornerback Jason Sehorn now out for the season with two torn knee ligaments, Williams will begin an accelerated course in the one-on-one coverage expertise necessary to exist in the unsheltered, perilous world of cornerback.

Conrad Hamilton, a 23-year-old third-year player with one National Football League start, will take Sehorn's place, and the Giants will give Hamilton every opportunity to hold the job. But at 5 feet 10 inches and 190 pounds, he will be giving away height and weight to many opposing receivers.

Williams, who is 6-2 and 215 pounds, may have more upside. In case Hamilton falters, the Giants plan to give Williams a cram course in cornerback beginning with today's practice at Giants Stadium.

As one Giants official said yesterday, ''Shaun may have to play before he's ready.''

In the Giants' 27-23 loss to the Jets in a preseason game on Thursday night, Williams continued to play as a safety and an extra defensive back in nickel packages. He was beaten for the game-winning third-quarter touchdown catch by the Jets' Dedric Ward.

''Cornerback is not a foreign position to him,'' Giants Coach Jim Fassel said of Williams. ''We've worked him there in camp. The downside is we have given him a lot to absorb in a short period of time.''

Fassel said Hamilton played well in Sehorn's place on Thursday.

''He doesn't have the size of Jason,'' said Fassel, referring to Sehorn, who is 6-2 and 210 pounds. ''But he's very quick and tenacious. You're very exposed out there at corner. If teams are going to go after him, we can help shore him up, but he's going to have to do the job.''

The current backup cornerback is the 10th-year veteran Robert Massey. The Giants signed Massey, 31, last year after he was released by Jacksonville. Also in the picture is Jeremy Lincoln, another free agent the Giants signed this spring.

The Giants searched the league for weeks for a backup cornerback and eventually decided that Lincoln, 27, was their best option. It is unlikely they will turn to the free agent market to find another cornerback. Lincoln, a former starter with the Chicago Bears, has had an uneven preseason and has not seriously threatened Hamilton for the prime backup spot.

Way Not Badly Injured

Jim Fassel said fullback Charles Way, who sprained his left ankle early in Thursday's game and did not return to play, was not seriously injured.

The coach complimented running back Gary Brown, who had 51 yards rushing on 13 carries Thursday. It is the best rushing total of any Giants back this preseason.

Of Tiki Barber, whom Fassel had been critical of last week, the coach said: ''Tiki is back. I saw the burst and spark that has always made him effective.''

Barber had 37 yards on eight carries and four receptions for 24 yards.